Focus on Focus (page 2)
Common Focus Problems
Back focus
Back focus is typically an issue when you are videotaping two people standing together but not centered in the frame. The camera looks for an object in the very center to focus on, misses the two people to the sides and focuses on the wall behind them.
Not enough light
Today's camcorders are very sensitive to low light, but not having enough light will still send your camera hunting.
Rocking
When your camera is unsure of the focus or faced with an object that is constantly in slight motion, like a child on a swing, the focus may rock back and forth. Typically, this appears as slight back-and-forth motion exhibited by the lens' front element. The camera is ignorant of the depth of field and will try to focus, even when the depth of field is several feet in either direction. For this reason, sometimes it may be desirable to switch to manual focus or switch the auto focus off after the camera has focused itself on a well-illuminated subj…
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